Social Media in HR

It has been one year since the world as we knew it changed forever, and the way we work right alongside it. Many people have reduced their time in an office environment and shifted much of their daily work to the desk at home. A trend that has already been rising in popularity in recent years received another timely boost, namely that of business utilisation of social media channels. Though many firms have some form of established presence in the social media sphere, many companies still struggle to adapt their usage much beyond the basic aspects it can deliver.

The variety of platforms a company can use for the interaction with its target group has a wide range. Most companies usually maintain a company profile on Xing or LinkedIn, but far fewer make use of the tools offered by the likes of Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, Clubhouse, WhatsApp, WeChat and so many more. In a recent virtual Roundtable within the Financial Service and Insurance sector, we discussed the possibilities of using different social media channels within the context of HR and I’d like to share some of these conclusions with you today.

Smaller companies tend to have less activity on a wide variety of platforms, as managing this is typically rather difficult for employees to manage in addition to their actual work. A poor social media presence can, in some cases, be worse than no social media presence, so in order to receive value from your efforts, it needs to be planned and executed well. A challenge many small HR departments face is right at the start, as it is typically quite difficult to receive a budget for a social media campaign, given that the return on investment is usually quite complicated to specifically measure. But to get a social media presence started does not require much in terms of budget. A good first approach can be to use your own profile on LinkedIn or Xing to produce contend or share information, in turn sharing this with your colleagues and asking them to in turn reshare across their own networks. Peers can act as multipliers, which can allow small posts to be experienced by a larger audience. Furthermore, a social media channel should not be seen merely as a sales and marketing tool for the company and its products, but also a key medium for shaping a brand for attractiveness as an employer.

Larger companies usually have a very professional appearance on social media across the platforms, as this is normally administered by a team of skilled people. Having an editorial plan, which provides valuable insights, as well as an escalation plan for any possible reaction out of the community is vital.

Finding creative ways to use social media for recruiting new talent can open doors to target groups you would normally not reach. One great example of using personal networks for talent attraction is being used by the Generali group in their internal employee referral scheme. A unique link for a specific vacancy is created for every employee, which can then be shared within their private network. For every successful application, the employee gets a bonus, and even clicks on the link get rewarded with a bonus point program. The experience so far has shown great results, as it is very uncomplicated for employees to promote their workplace and adds a gamification aspect to the talent search.

This program is mainly targeted at young professionals and apprentices, but can also be used in a wider context. Knowing what platform to use for which target group makes a huge difference. Facebook and Instagram, for example, have great reach towards a younger target audience, who are still looking for their perfect career path. It allows companies to show insights on how they work and what makes their culture unique and fitting to a certain personal profile. LinkedIn or special forums can target experienced professionals more directly, as these candidates usually look for a very specific role or want to stay connected to their professional network.

How does social media play a part in your companies communication? I’d like to hear more from you so make sure to get in touch via social media or in the traditional way via Nasimasmar@frazerjones.com